In a one-compartment model with first-order elimination, if clearance increases while volume of distribution remains constant, what happens to the drug's half-life?

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Multiple Choice

In a one-compartment model with first-order elimination, if clearance increases while volume of distribution remains constant, what happens to the drug's half-life?

Explanation:
In a one-compartment model with first-order elimination, the half-life is determined by t1/2 = 0.693 × Vd / CL. If the volume of distribution stays the same and clearance increases, the denominator becomes larger while the numerator is unchanged, so t1/2 becomes smaller. Thinking in terms of the elimination rate constant k = CL / Vd, increasing CL raises k, and since t1/2 = 0.693 / k, the half-life decreases. In short, faster clearance means the drug concentration falls to half more quickly.

In a one-compartment model with first-order elimination, the half-life is determined by t1/2 = 0.693 × Vd / CL. If the volume of distribution stays the same and clearance increases, the denominator becomes larger while the numerator is unchanged, so t1/2 becomes smaller. Thinking in terms of the elimination rate constant k = CL / Vd, increasing CL raises k, and since t1/2 = 0.693 / k, the half-life decreases. In short, faster clearance means the drug concentration falls to half more quickly.

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